D&D 5E MM Excerpt: Bone Devil

[Ranes]

I feel as if it needs something else, like one spell-like power.

Indeed. I just looked again at their 3e incarnation and have to correct my earlier post. The 3e version can still fly, create illusions, turn invisible and more. I don't know about 4e but this 5e version is palpably less interesting, unless there are additional abilities listed elsewhere, perhaps for devils in general.

Otherwise, is this characteristic of 5e monsters in general, that they're just less interesting than they used to be?

 

[Anthraxus]

Huh. I guess I never noticed the wings on the 1E MM. Weird. So it does look like some kind of "Hellish" dragonfly now.

 

[the Jester]

"Hell's Pixies" would be a great name for a motorcycle gang.

Or maybe not.

To be fair, in my 4e campaign, there's an epic-level pixie vampire with the Lord of Hell epic destiny who just overthrew Dispater and claimed his throne, so... yeah.

 

[Primal]

I think this is the first non legendary monster with weapon immunities, is it? Ok, it can be harmed also by silver weapons instead of just magical ones but so far I thought this was reserved for legendary monsters.

You know, English is not my native language, so it took me while to get what they meant ("bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered"). I honestly don't think they could have used a more obscure way of phrasing it. What's wrong with 'DR weapon damage/magic or silver', or something similar to it?

 

[jadrax]

Otherwise, is this characteristic of 5e monsters in general, that they're just less interesting than they used to be?

I prefer to think of it as creatures are now more diverse, because everything isn't loaded down with pretty much the same Spell Like abilities.

That said, I believe there may be some generic devil powers, such as summoning other Devils, that have been taken out of the stat block. It is also pretty easy to modify stuff, for example throwing the Sentinel Feat on a creature can make a combat go very differently, but doesn't require a creature rewrite.

 

[Ranes]

I prefer to think of it as creatures are now more diverse, because everything isn't loaded down with pretty much the same Spell Like abilities.

Hang on. Most but not all of the devils in the 3e MM had greater teleport, sure. A few had fly and invisibility. Some had one or another illusion spell (but not the same one), but most also had unique SLAs (with respect to other devils) and a couple had no SLAs.

I believe there may be some generic devil powers, such as summoning other Devils, that have been taken out of the stat block.

Yes, maybe, although that will make devils less diverse, not more.

It is also pretty easy to modify stuff, for example throwing the Sentinel Feat on a creature can make a combat go very differently, but doesn't require a creature rewrite.

Sure. That's been possible for several editions now. I accept that 5e may be the easiest yet in which to do that. But I'm simply hoping that the majority of default creatures in the MM don't require customisation to be as interesting as they used to be.

 

[Henry]

"Hell's Pixies" would be a great name for a motorcycle gang.

Or maybe not.

That thing looks like a pixie ingested both crystal meth and a giant growth potion, and rolled a 00 on the "potion miscibility table" I love this unholy thing!

 

[The Hitcher]

I'm all for simplicity over grab-bags of powers that I'll forget to use anyway. In general, I'm fine with the more generic beasties having just one shtick. In this case, its shtick is poison (with an optional side of grappling). Perfect.

 

[Zaukrie]

And I am finding the monsters boring......stand around and do the same thing every round. I admit to losing interest in this version the more I see the monsters.

 

[MightyZehir]

Am I correct to assume the bone devil can still use his polearm against the creature he grabbed?

I wonder why most monsters that grapple their target with attacks don't get any benefit to hit their targets with the same attack again.


For example, wouldn't it be easier for a crocodile to hit a target that it's grappling with his bite?